Frédéric Gros's 'A Philosophy of Walking' Argues Hiking as Radical Escape from Capitalism

Frédéric Gros's 2011 manifesto 'A Philosophy of Walking' received its first English translation in 2014, presenting walking as a politically expressive act beyond economic systems. The French philosopher contends that extended hikes represent radical escapes from daily pressures and responsibilities. Gros references Jean-Jacques Rousseau's 1782 'Confessions,' which describes a youthful Alpine journey from Geneva to Turin. He also cites poet Charles Péguy's verses about walking without haste or refuge. While acknowledging walking's romantic and spiritual dimensions—including William Wordsworth's belief in hiking as poetic communion with nature and Hindu pilgrimages to Pandharpur—Gros emphasizes its anticapitalist potential. The book argues that walking cannot be monetized, branded, or sold as sport. Gros suggests that embarking on foot journeys places individuals beyond capitalism's reach, creating a rare state in the twenty-first century. The work occasionally feels laborious, akin to a ten-mile trek, but presents a compelling case for walking's political significance.